1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an arrangement for TV broadcasting outdoor events or the like by means of a mobile unit which is connected via cables to devices for supplying and/or receiving video, audio or control signals and accommodates corresponding apparatuses for processing these signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such arrangements with TV mobile units are known. These compact and mobile technical units are used for recorded or live broadcasts of television productions. Such mobile units are used for, for example, TV broadcasts of outdoor sports and program events. They are equipped with television cameras, microphones, recording/reproducing apparatuses and numerous television and sound control devices. The video, audio and control signals are transmitted through several screened cables which are often several hundred meters long, for example triax cables, so as to connect remote television cameras with the apparatuses installed in the mobile unit. The heavy cables wound on large cable reels during mobile unit rides occupy a relatively large area of the useful space in the mobile unit.
Television productions for broadcasting sports and program events require an increasing number of technical means. In addition to the actual TV broadcasting tasks, the mobile unit must service further peripheral areas with source signals for commentator positions, organization management, spectator areas, etc. This requires an extra displacement of cable paths.
Moreover, it should be noted that with an increasing use of digital video and audio techniques, the conventional broadcasting technique, in the form of copper cables, is not suitable for complying with the new requirements.
The state of the art for cabled audiovisual broadcasting techniques is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,877.
It is an object of the invention to reduce the number of cables for broadcasting outdoor events, realize new services and provide a basic system for future requirements and techniques.
According to the invention, in an arrangement of the type described in the opening paragraph, this object is solved in that
at least one coupling station is provided in which separate optical waveguides outgoing from the individual devices are coupled to a light-wave broadband cable,
the light-wave broadband cable is connected to a docking station for transferring source signals,
the devices and the docking station comprise electro-optical transducer elements for converting the source signals, and
the docking station is connectable to the mobile unit.
Such a construction has the advantage that, as compared with the prior art, the cables of the individual devices and signal sources no longer need to be star-connected to the mobile unit over large distances. Instead, the separate optical waveguides outgoing from the individual devices lead to a coupling station at a spatially optimum location where they are connected to the single light-wave broadband cable outgoing from the coupling station. At least a part of the overall cable paths can then be bridged by a single broadband cable. Consequently, the number of cables is reduced considerably and the space occupied by the cables in the mobile unit can be reduced in favor of the control rooms. Dependent on the circumstances, single cameras can be connected, as usual, to the mobile unit via the triax cable connections which are considered to be robust. An essential advantage of the invention thus consists of a concentration of the signal paths via light-wave cables.
Whereas a purely optical signal distribution is performed in the coupling station, the source signals are converted by means of the electro-optical transducer elements in the docking station in which the light-wave broadband cable terminates, and in said devices. The conversion of the source signals is required for the processing operations in the mobile unit and for transfer into the light-wave network. The docking station is an independent unit and provides the possibility of installing the light-wave network independently of the mobile unit. The light-wave network can thus be prepared and installed in such a way that, upon arrival of the mobile unit, only a connection with the docking station is to be established so as to realize full operability.
According to the invention, this docking station may be connected to one or more mobile units or, for example, to an external transfer point for a telecommunication device. The local operating time of the mobile unit and services (time, wages) can thus be reduced by using such a docking station. Moreover, this leads to a greater flexibility.
A further embodiment of the invention is characterized by a second coupling station which is connected, at the input, to at least one further sub-control unit via separate optical waveguides and, at the output, to the first coupling station via a light-wave broadband cable. This provides the simple possibility of integrating one or more control units. Such control units may be, for example, either a control unit for sound and illumination, or a control unit for picture information.
A further embodiment of the invention is characterized in that an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) transfer path connected to a data bank in the broadcasting center is provided parallel to the broadcasting path. This provides an additional service possibility for, for example commentators who then have direct access via the light-wave network to the data stored in the data bank.
These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from and will be elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.